When government officials talk about “investment,” what they really mean is more taxes.

That’s the case with the proposed transportation sales tax vote coming up July 31. Known as “T-SPLOST,” the measure asks voters to approve a new sales tax to fund a variety of transportation projects across the state. But unlike a true statewide sales tax, this one will be voted on by regions.

Most of the attention so far has been on the Atlanta region where traffic is a mess. Despite that, many Atlanta area citizens are opposed to the sales tax. There are several reasons for that, including the fact that some studies now show the tax and spending will do very little to fix the area’s traffic problems.

Here in Northeast Georgia, Barrow County is part of a different region than Atlanta — our vote will have nothing to do with fixing Atlanta’s problems. Instead, Barrow County voters will vote along with Jackson, Madison, Clarke, Oconee and other nearby counties on whether or not to tax the region an additional $1 billion over the next 10 years. The vote is regional and even if a county votes against the measure, the region outcome is what matters.

But there are several major issues to consider in whether or not to approve this new tax:

1. Once in place, this sales tax will never go away. Like all other sales taxes, once approved and governments get addicted, they never end.

2. Some 25 percent of the T-SPLOST is really a local government slush fund. Only 75 percent of the money raised will go to a list of regional projects, the rest will be divided among local city and county governments to spend however they wish. This was the state’s “payoff” to get local governments to support the new tax.

3. The T-SPLOST is the result of pure crony capitalism. In addition to salivating local governments, there is a list of special interest groups lined up behind the measure who stand to gain financially if it passes. Road pavers, developers, engineering firms, consultants, etc. all have a hand in promoting this self-serving tax.

4. Recent audits of the Georgia Department of Transportation show a massive amount of waste and fraud in the road-building system. The GDOT is a hotbed of political favoritism and stupid decisions. Think of the HOT lanes the DOT has done in Atlanta along I-85, a move that created a nightmare of traffic problems simply because the DOT wants to charge people for driving on roads we were already taxed on. The T-SPLOST movement is asking voters to give that department even more money to waste.

Proponents of the T-SPLOST claim it will create jobs and will be good for economic development. But state leaders claim that for every decision they make these days. That’s how so-called “conservative” politicians justify higher taxes and more government spending; just say it’s for “jobs” or “economic development” and somehow that makes it ok to raise taxes in Georgia.

Of course, the reason we’re voting on this is that state legislative leaders didn’t have the courage to raise the gas tax in the state. If this money was as critical as leaders claim, why not just raise the gas tax and let those who use the roads the most pay more, especially those out-of-state drivers headed to Florida? That makes more sense than creating a whole new tax.

While the T-SPLOST would create jobs for government workers and their special interest cronies, the average citizen wouldn’t benefit. Nor would the projects have any appreciable impact on economic development. Although officials claim economic development as a key reason for the tax, they have not shown any shred of evidence that the projects on the list would directly impact development.

The bottom line is that it’s not a lack of money that’s the problem in Georgia’s transportation system; it’s waste, fraud and mismanagement by state officials that’s the real issue.

If you trust your government officials from city hall up to the GDOT to spend your tax money efficiently and wisely, then by all means vote in favor of the T-SPLOST tax. If you don’t mind special interest groups and developers getting billions of tax dollars for themselves, then this tax is for you.

But if you’re tired of insider favoritism between the state and the road-building lobby, and you’re tired of the GDOT’s wasteful bureaucracy in inane spending decisions, then you should vote “No” on the tax at the ballot box July 31.

A tax is a tax is a tax. And all the perfume in the world can’t make this T-SPLOST pig smell any better.

Mike Buffington is co-publisher of the Barrow Journal. He can be reached at mike@mainstreetnews.com.

Imagine this, another article centered upon lack of trust of government officials.

Mike, this is again a typical piece of spin-dum. As all you are doing is stating your opinion based upon your political dogmas. “If you don’t mind special interest groups”… Isn’t this all you are creating when you stir the pot and energize those on the polar opposite of the argument. And for the records that’s all well and good; but inform your readership of both sides of the argument. Make a persuasive statement to include both the pros and cons, thus allowing the reader to make an informed and educated opinion.

As for “favoritism”, show me a government on this God’s green earth that is not guilty of trying to appease certain groups. “Bureaucracy” is a necessary evil, after all is it not just a synonym for government itself. If you did not have it you would have an autocracy lead by a tyrannical dictator.

As you are imploring your readership to vote no on the T-SPLOST, I would intern implore them to become better educated and not be a slave to journalistic persuasion. Contrary to this journalist reporting the T-SPLOST will have a 10 year life span.

Facts: Multiple reports show the average Atlanta-area commuter is wasting better than 57 hours a year going nowhere. Atlanta has the third-worst congestion in the nation, Atlanta area lost more time and money than ever to congestion: an assemblage of over 135,335,000 hours wasted according to a Texas Tech study, Net loss of $3 billion.

The projected income from this “tax” is 19 million annual. Compared to the 3 million annual, this is a drop in the bucket. Look I agree that the returns may never be directly of any real impact locally, but as a region this has the potential to improve so many things and possibly attract new jobs and a better way of life.

The Atlanta area needs transportation alternatives, an additional outer loop interstate, like the one proposed before, lite/commuter rail service, and maybe even a second airport(I know not is my back yard!).

We are as tax payers are living in a dream world. We want more for less, and it is time to put up or shut up!

This Tax might not be the best of ideas with many questions still left unanswered, but it’s better than sitting on our thumbs and just praying it will get better by itself.

The current infrastructure cannot sustain future growth and needs to be improved. Future jobs and much, much more are codependent upon the ability of a metroplex to be able to efficiently move goods and people. Atlanta is rated 3rd worst in the county. That’s something to be proud of…

75% of the projects listed for the entire state have a start date in years 7-10 of the proposes "10 Year TSPLOST." Which means that they'll still be underway when the tax is scheduled to end. The State and GDOT will be out in force with "Necessary Extensions" so these projects can be completed. They'll propose for a 10 year extension and present an entire new list of projects.

The State developed the scam known as SPLOST and told everyone "oh, they'll end when the projects are done." Name one SPLOST that has ever actually ended.

"1. Once in place, this sales tax will never go away. Like all other sales taxes, once approved and governments get addicted, they never end."

You mean to say the government's promises aren't kept, you know, like the GA-400 toll that was SUPPOSED to go away, but now never will?

Or the other SPLOSTs that keep getting renewed time and time again?

And what has the government always used as a scare tactic? Why, if you don't vote it in, your property taxes will go up!!! OH NO, we MUST vote it in, then!!! And guess what? The property taxes still went up!

I plan on voting for it because the tax is so vague, with no specific l;ist of projects or plans. I would vote for it if had had targeted plans in each area it would be enacted. Just building and improving roads woun't alleviate Atlanta's traffic issues and like it or not, the Atlanta Metroplex's traffic issues affect the whole state and Barrow as well as Jackson and Walton are now exurbs for Atlanta. Any tax raised should also go towards mass transit such as commuter rail. I know that 'll get the NIMBY and conservatiuve clowns going nuts but remember, NO form of passenger transportation in the world exits that doesn;t get subsidized in one form or another.

Really, we are suppose to blindly trust the GOB (Not GOP) party types.

Another layer of taxation / government, how wrong it this!!!

We can barely control the GOB Party running the county into the ground. You know, bunch that just had to expand Barrow's airport no matter how much it cost because they said it needed to be expanded.

Now they have found another way to add another layer of taxation / government to do their biding for the connected at the expense of the tax payer with no or little representation.

What's to rein in the spending of this "Regional" government? Really, didn't we fight a war or something about a government body that took our money with no input as to how it will be spent (Revolutionary War).

We've already seen that the county government (Lampp, Brown and the Airport GOB party BOC) will do what ever it wants not matter HOW much it cost.

I'm voting yes for the same reasons as what the first person said in their rebuttal to Bluff-ington. Look, I don't care if the tax stays in place longer than ten years. I know the government is probably under-estimating the costs and I know the government screws up. Fact is, this needs to happen. Unless you are one of the rednecks who never leaves the county for anything and sits on their butts counting the number of spent cartridges from the afternoon trying to shoot mistletoe out of the tree in the front yard, than you are aware that there is a major problem with transportation in the fast growing state.

I literally lost my job at a business I worked at because of complete debatable that I-85 is in the mornings. I lost it because in a three week period, I was late to work three times. All because of major accidents that left traffic at a standstill for nearly an hour each time. Each morning I would leave from my house and drive to Jimmy Carter Blvd. I was suppose to be there at 7 and each morning --- I left at 5:45. A drive that takes 30 minutes with no traffic would take nearly 45 minutes to an hour on bad days. It is what it is folks. I don't care what agenda-setting Bluff-ington has today, but you all need to realize something needs to be done, quick.

I understand that Bluff-ington, I was using more example to portray the overall problem of traffic. Sure, there aren't any traffic jams on 316 but there are definitely enough deaths. A couple of the projects would convert some of those dangerous intersections which would include on and off ramps.

You can make it an overpass and on/off ramp if you want. You still have to gain access to 316 from a side street. The accidents and injuries are still going to happen. It doesn't matter how you lay it out, the problem is the drivers not the roadway.

You must not be from around here, anybody knows that if you are driving in Atlanta traffic you add two hours to your time, and know at least two alternate routes.obviously you just weren't smart enough to keep a job in the Atlanta region. Also you should know that even if they added ten more James to 85 the traffic would remain the same.

Man, you just can't wait to pay more can you. Why don't you just start making a donation to GDOT every month. I'm sure they would enjoy it. You wont because you know they will waste it. With that they might even be able to add another person to the road crews so the other 15 people standing around don't get lonley. When does it end??? This is the problem. The government wants more money to spend. why do we have such a problem in America right now? Too much spending. Now they want another 1% on EVERY DOLLAR?!?!? Go to www.traffictruth.net. Like they say "another tax won't help your traffic jam"

You have the temerity to label people "rednecks" yet you type the word "debatable." You probably lost your job due to terminal ignorance, as opposed to a "debacle" on the highway. Consider this the next time you choose to ridicule a group of people, some of whom are obviously your betters.

Last I knew you couldn't check "Rednecks" off on the census. "Group of people", give me a break you ding-dong. If you identify with rednecks...ah heck your not even worth the time. By the way, here are some driving tips for you rednecks:

1. When approaching a four-way stop, the vehicle with the largest does not have the right of way.
2. Never tow another car using pantyhose and duct tape.
3. When sending your wife down the road with a gas can, it is impolite to ask her to bring back beer.
4. Never relieve yourself from a moving vehicle, especially when driving.
5. Do not remove the seats from the car so that all your kids can fit in.

How about the fact that if we don't vote for the TSPLOST we will see our funding from the government cut! Seems to me like we should not be punished for not voting the way the government wants. What if Barack gets reflected And the state of GA doesnt vote for him. Can he cut our federal funds? I'm a no vote.

The T-SPLOST dollars that will come to our region are directed to improvements on 316. This will include bridges at Hwy 11, Hwy 81, and Carl-Bethlehem. Patrick Mill would be a better intersection to place a bridge, the MVCs there are horrific, and many times fatal. I vote yes, crossing 316 is a nightmare, as is going through Winder with it's 37 four-way stopsign intersections. It takes a half hour to get to Ingles. Barrow County is 20 years behind the rest of the area. Yes.

Heres an even more interesting calculation. Do away with drive thrus, we'd save enough gas that prices would dip below 2.00 per gallon. Not to mention a drop in health insurance rates due to the fact fast food would take an effort and people might actually have to walk for food. Not to mention the pollution factor.
But don't get up in arms it'll never happen.

Come on Joe. It doesn't matter where the money goes originally, the DOT is still doing the work, still doing the planning, still doing the wasting. So what it this "trust" going to do, not give the government the money if they do something wrong? Then what happens to it, do I get refunded the 1% extra I paid for my prescriptions? This is just smoke and mirrors. The DOT knows they have a terrible reputation so they are trying to fool us by talking about a trust. Good try DOT but we're not stupid,

it is a blind trust, as in they see no waste, hear of no waste and dont wanna know of no waste.... just keep us busy with lookin like we care.... TRUST what a scam just one more group of otherwise people that would be unemployed if it wernt for the TRUST job, GET out of sucking off the taxpayers you LEECHES!!!!

The compelling reason to vote for this project is that Winder gets a by pass. The Patrick Mill Road interchange, upgrade of Patrick Mill Road with an overpass over Atlanta Highway + Railroad that connects to Highway 211 will benefit our downtown Winder. We defeated a local option sales tax that included the row for a new bypass years ago. Since then Winder has been blackballed by DOT. We need this road I agree we don't need the tax but I don't see any other way to build this bypass. Mike I hope that you will travel up and down Broad Street and think about how badly we need this bypass.

The Problem isn't the tax or that it will never be receded. Its that the money will not go to actual construction. They will have studies and law suites over studies and some time down the road the county will need the money for something else so they will try to spend it and get sued... See, the issue is that the money will never go to put one shovel in the ground but it will be spent anyway...

Unfortunately, I don't think the bypass will ever be built..tax or no. The city if Winder is to blame for not having one now. The mayor and council back then voted to oppose the by pass and wss the only city to vote against it. Some of the same council members that voted against the bypass then are there now. Sonny Morris, Larry Evans, Ridley Parrish.

You are correct though...Winder and Barrow county was blackballed because of the opposition in 91'. I for one am not going to vote for the T-SPLOST to reward the city of Winder for a huge mistake years ago. I think we pay enough tax as it is. Let the state put n additional few pennies a gallon on gas to increase revenues for road improvements.

Until the GDOT is overhauled and the system for corruption is eliminated, I will never vote to willingly give the State any more money.

Instead, specific projects should be put before voters that will be directly affected. The loot should be secured through a bond tied directly to a road use tax on that specific piece of road. The funds must be managed by an impartial third party (perhaps Deloitte & Touche or someother accountant firm). When enough loot has been collected to pay for the project, the use tax stops.

I know, it makes too much sense. Thus, it will never pass.....maybe we should go back to the horse and buggy???

You can put out a list of all these great projects and tell us how great it would be to help ease traffic.

The TRUTH is, there is no historical evidence that a Region, State, or Government will spend the money as it is required to by the law.

1) 911 fees on telephones: Not one cent has ever been used to improve 911 centers

2) Specialty tags: no funds generated by any specialty tag in Georgia has ever gone to any of the special interest groups the tags were created for.

3) GA400 Toll Fees: Once the State collected the fees to cover the cost of building GA 400, it has diverted the tolls to cover other projects besides the maintainance of GA 400.

4) Georgia Lottery: The lottery generated so much revenue when it first started, the State began taking money from the HOPE Scholarship and Pre-K Program to finance other projects, eventhough the law specifically spells out that the funds will only be used for HOPE and Pre-K. Now both are severely underfunded.

Site your sources. I tried to look up what you were talking about to see if it was true and found that there were a lot of "Half-truths" or "false."

1. You claimed that the 911 has NEVER been used to improve 911/ emergency response. You are mostly false. Although there are states that divert the money to other projects, a recent report by the FCC stated that only "12 states" did this last year. The document does not list the 12 states.

2. You claimed that Specialty have never gone to any interest group that they were intended for. I poked around online for awhile and the sites that I found said nothing about the money going toward the "interest group" nor did it say anything about the money not going toward the interest groups.

3. Claimed that the tolls for Georgia 400 are now being used to cover projects that maintain GA 400. "Liar, Lair, Pants on fire." This link I provided should help clear things up for you.

http://www.georgiatolls.com/programs/ga-400/

4. Your claim that the state has used money for other projects is mostly true. Georgia has used the money for things other than HOPE and pre-k.

http://www.lotterypost.com/news/76191

Maybe it is because people are finding out they are suckers for playing the GA lottery? Or they are not winning as much?

If you ever want to really change the result, you have to change the effort put forth. Yes, we can vote no to T-SPLOST, and deal with the status quo,(slash and burn politics), or we can vote yes, and at least have some improvement, even if it is not on our personal wish list. We can stand still, or start moving.....at least we have that choice to make.......
DuWayne

The “Untie Atlanta” referendum does 2 things: It creates the largest tax increase in Georgia history…and it increases the cost of food and prescription drugs for residents in my district. On July 31st, I’m voting NO to T-SPLOST.

We aren't even in the Atlanta region. So while your roads continue to tie up traffic, ours will be bringing in safer roads, local control, jobs, and the promise of economic development.

Add Comment

Name

Email

Homepage

In reply to

Comment

E-Mail addresses will not be displayed and will only be used for E-Mail notifications.

To leave a comment you must approve it via e-mail, which will be sent to your address after submission.

To prevent automated Bots from commentspamming, please enter the string you see in the image below in the appropriate input box. Your comment will only be submitted if the strings match. Please ensure that your browser supports and accepts cookies, or your comment cannot be verified correctly.Enter the string from the spam-prevention image above: